Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

One of my favorite things to make is a good slow cooker soup recipe. They are easy, they have a delicious slow simmered flavor and they almost always equal less clean up, and I’m all about less clean up. This soup is probably one of the easiest you’ll ever make and you wouldn’t believe how amazing it tastes (especially considering it’s ease of prep).

You may be thinking that the three carrots seems odd but it gives this soup some body, a light natural sweetness and it offers such a vibrant color to this soup so you don’t end up with something pale pink in the end. Other than that this soup is mostly tomato, which I believe the way a true tomato soup is meant to be. I’ve always been grossed out by the canned tomato soup, doesn’t it just seem to have an off flavor and too much sweetness? When I was little I disliked it so much that instead I’d just heat tomato sauce with a little water and eat that with my grilled cheese instead. Yes, that really was lacking in flavor but when you are a kid I guess that’s what you like. This however is full of flavor, the onions, garlic and basil offer just enough without taking away from the vibrant tomato flavor.

Me and my kids loved this soup (then there was my husband that hates tomatoes so he just picked out the tortellini, I was totally offended – just kidding). I was so glad I had enough left over for lunch the next day, it was a bowl of pure comfort for a cool day. I love that it’s actually very hearty and filling too. This one I’m going to make time and time…and time again.

This makes a slow cooker full so if you are only serving a few I’d recommend making 2/3 the recipe (using 2 cans of the tomatoes, etc). You can also reduce it to that if you have a 5 quart slow cooker because a full batch probably wouldn’t fit in that size.

Remove bay leaves then puree mixture well with an emulsion blender (or carefully in small batches in a blender. If your slow cooker doesn't keep all the moisture in well while cooking, you may need to add in 1/2 cup water or so at this point so the soup isn't too thick). Stir in tortellini, cover and cook on HIGH heat 15 minutes longer (or until heated through). Reduce heat to warm, stir in heavy cream. Serve topped with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Averie @ Averie Cooks: Love creamy tomato basil soup! When I was pregnant, I was sooooo sick. For like, oh 38 weeks of it. But one of the only things I ever wanted was the Tomato Basil Soup from the Nordstrom cafe. It was an expensive little bowl of soup every week since I had to walk past the shoe dept, etc. en route to the cafe, but it was fun :) Your soup looks better than theirs – just perfect!! September 21, 2014 at 5:23pmReply

Ordinary Blogger (Rivki Locker): Slow cookers are such a convenience, especially when I have long work days. I’m going to dust mine off (I tend not to use it in the summer) and bookmark this to try soon. September 21, 2014 at 5:47pmReply

Liz @ Floating Kitchen: Looks delicious. I love adding carrots to tomato soup. You’re right – it does give it a great color! September 21, 2014 at 9:26pmReply

Matt Robinson: This is being added to our Fall rotation for sure, looks amazing! September 21, 2014 at 11:12pmReply

Jennifer Takala: Looks delicious! Do you leave the bay leaves in when you blend, or do you remove them beforehand? I am assuming you leave them in since you didn’t specifically mention removing them. Thanks! September 23, 2014 at 3:40pmReply

Jaclyn: Yes you remove them, sorry I forgot to list that! Thanks for pointing it out! I hope you try this and love it Jennifer! September 23, 2014 at 5:59pmReply

Jackie: I made this tonight. It was very good! My son said he wanted third and fourth helpings! Perfect fall crockpot meal. Thanks so much! September 24, 2014 at 4:45pmReply

Jaclyn: I’m so glad it was enjoyed thanks for your feedback Jackie!! September 24, 2014 at 6:47pmReply

Jackie: Oh, I meant to say. I blended everything before I put it in the crockpot. I was afraid of transferring hot tomatoes and liquid to the blender. Lol. It was still perfect. :) September 24, 2014 at 4:48pmReply

Laurie V: This was super tasty! My husband is a tomato soup aficionado and he loved it. We track our calories, so I figured out calories per serving and it is 275 calories before adding the Parmesan. Just an FYI. September 28, 2014 at 3:04pmReply

Jaclyn: Thanks for the calorie info! I’m so happy to hear you and your husband liked this recipe, thanks for your feedback Laurie! September 28, 2014 at 10:31pmReply

Samantha: This looks so delicious! It’s simmering in the crock pot now. I actually used fresh Roma tomatoes from our garden after blanching and removing the skins. I’m excited for dinner. September 30, 2014 at 11:33amReply

Jaclyn: I hope you love it Samantha! September 30, 2014 at 6:47pmReply

Aarti: How many fresh tomatoes did you use? October 9, 2017 at 9:20amReply

Teresa: This looks delicious. I’ll have to give it a try now that fall is here and we eat more soups. October 6, 2014 at 9:22pmReply

Camry: This looks wonderful! Can you make it on the stove instead of the crock pot? Me and my husband want to try it out tonight but I didn’t plan enough in advance! October 8, 2014 at 5:01pmReply

Jaclyn: Yes that should work just fine. I hope you love it! October 8, 2014 at 5:57pmReply

Kate W.: Any thoughts as to how this will be frozen? I never freeze soups but think I might with this one and save some for another time. October 9, 2014 at 8:24amReply

Jaclyn: This one might work okay but you’d definitely want to keep the tortellini separate from the soup so it doesn’t get soggy, I’d probably add the cream in later too. October 9, 2014 at 11:26pmReply

Kate W.: Quick question. Do you drain the cans of tomatoes before adding them? October 9, 2014 at 1:23pmReply

Jaclyn: No don’t drain. I hope you love it Kate! October 9, 2014 at 2:01pmReply

Kate W.: I did love this! Made it tonight for dinner. Even got my 4 year old to eat it – first soup she’s wanted to try that I made (maybe b/c she helped at the end?) and got her to eat veggies. Win win!

Didn’t realize how hearty and filling the soup was until I got to the bottom of my bowl. I ended up pureeing the soup in my Ninja blender but I still got a bit of tiny, tiny crunch from the carrot bits. Was that normal? October 15, 2014 at 11:10pmReply

Jaclyn: There shouldn’t be any crunch maybe a a faint chew (depending on how well blended you can get the carrots) so I’d just cook it a bit longer next time. I’m so glad your family liked it! October 16, 2014 at 1:10amReply

Mary Ann Snyder: This looks so yummy! The last part of the recipe (after the blending)…is all of it done in the slow cooker or stovetop? Thanks! October 12, 2014 at 7:51amReply

Jaclyn: Slow cooker. I hope you try it and love it! November 13, 2014 at 4:52pmReply

Natalie: I made this tonight – my husband and I both thought it was delicious! We quickly devoured our bowls and then my love went back for seconds. I can’t wait to have the leftovers tomorrow night! Thanks for the recipe! October 13, 2014 at 6:19pmReply

Jaclyn: You’ve very welcome! I’m so glad it was enjoyed! October 13, 2014 at 8:56pmReply

Mrs Kelly: Eating this soup as I type. yummy! yummy! I used chicken broth and reduced the amount, just because that’s what I had on hand. I ended up adding a little extra sugar too and some dried spices. This one is def a keeper! Thanks so much for this great recipe! October 14, 2014 at 12:50pmReply

Jaclyn: Thanks for leaving a review! I’m glad you liked it Mrs Kelly! October 14, 2014 at 6:40pmReply

Karina: This recipe looks amazing!! I am definitely going to cook this soup this weekend. I do not own a crock pot, could I use a pressure pot or the stove top? October 15, 2014 at 7:44pmReply

Jaclyn: Yes you could definitely just make this on the stove top. I hope you love it! October 15, 2014 at 10:51pmReply

Annette: How can I transform this delicious recipe into a gulten free recipe? October 20, 2014 at 1:02pmReply

Jaclyn: You’d have to use gluten-free tortellini which is probably hard to come by, so if you can’t find it I would just use some sort of pasta (Barilla makes the best gluten free in my opinion and I might use shells) then just serve it with cheeses (mozzarella parm ricotta, something like so). Hope that helps! October 20, 2014 at 9:01pmReply

Tracy Banks: Just finished making this! Delicious!!!!! October 22, 2014 at 8:50pmReply

Jaclyn: I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it Tracy! Thanks for leaving a comment! October 23, 2014 at 4:47pmReply

Joyce: I want to try this recipe this weekend. I found a few but this one looks very good. To keep the calories down do you think I can add greek yogurt instead of the heavy cream. I saw other recipes that did this. What are your thoughts
Thanks
Joyce October 23, 2014 at 11:30amReply

Jaclyn: I think that should be just fine, it won’t be quite as rich and creamy but should still be delicious and healthier too! October 23, 2014 at 4:43pmReply

Stephanie: oh please let me know how that comes out. I like to keep on the healthier side of things too. October 29, 2014 at 2:16pmReply

Kori A: Can you leave it on low for 8.5 hours instead of 6? I work an 8 hr day so I was hoping to just leave it while I’m at work. October 27, 2014 at 4:52pmReply

Jaclyn: That should be just fine. Hope you love it! October 27, 2014 at 5:15pmReply

Rachel: How long would i cook the tortellini’s if i added them with the soup (they are still frozen) I also am using canned tomato juice instead of crushed tomatoes which should mean i won’t have to puree right? October 28, 2014 at 10:10amReply

Jaclyn: If you want to take the carrots out at the end then you wouldn’t have to puree, but I’m not sure how long the frozen would take to cook since I haven’t tried with that? My guess would be about 20 – 30? November 27, 2014 at 1:06amReply

Stephanie: Omg this looks awesome I cant wait to try it this weekend. I love using my slow cooker because it allows me to do other things while this is ready. I saw that one woman blended everything together before she put it in the crock pot, was just wondering if that came out ok when it was all said and done? Would you recomend that Jaclyn? October 29, 2014 at 2:13pmReply

Jaclyn: I prefer to blend at the end since it’s all softened up by then but if you have a heavy duty blender blending at the beginning should be okay too. November 27, 2014 at 12:54amReply

Jill T: I completely spaced and forgot to take out the bay leaves before using my Vitamix to blend. Did I just ruin the whole batch? HELP! October 29, 2014 at 3:52pmReply

Jaclyn: No it should be just fine still. I hope you love it! October 29, 2014 at 5:32pmReply

Stephanie: I was just wondering if blending the mixture before i put it in the crock pot would be easier and better then waiting til the end? or does it even matter? October 30, 2014 at 8:34amReply

Jaclyn: I just thought it would be easier to pulverize everything once it was softened but if you have a really heavy duty blender you could probably do it before too. October 30, 2014 at 2:49pmReply

Monique: Yum! Made this tonight! So good! I didn’t have a full-size blender on hand, so I used my smoothie blender. I had to do a few batches, but it worked perfectly! Super good! Just scraped my bowl clean! :) Thanks for sharing! October 31, 2014 at 8:57pmReply

Hilary: So looking forward to making this tonight! Is it necessary to puree everything in a blender or have you ever kept the vegetables chunky for a different flavor? November 3, 2014 at 11:45amReply

Jaclyn: If you want more texture you could leave them chunky, just personal preference. December 8, 2014 at 9:56pmReply

Ashley: Mine came out kinda grainy… tastes good but the texture’s odd. Any ideas on how i can fix this? November 3, 2014 at 5:38pmReply

Jaclyn: You could strain it through a fine mesh strainer, it’s probably just the carrots. Hope that helps! November 3, 2014 at 6:51pmReply

Catherine: This looks heavenly…I was wondering if using canned crushed tomatoes instead of Roma would work? November 3, 2014 at 10:49pmReply

Sara: Made this for dinner tonight and it was fabulous. I tested with and without cream and it doesn’t make a big difference without it.
Thank you for this delicious easy recipe. November 4, 2014 at 4:44pmReply

Rebecca: I saw this on Pinterest and made it yesterday. It was DELICIOUS! We are currently living in Austria and are completely snowed in today. This is a perfect warm, filling and comforting soup for days like these.
Thank you for sharing this yummy and healthy recipe!
Have a great day! November 6, 2014 at 3:28amReply

Emily {Rainbow Delicious}: I agree that carrots in this soup add some depth and sweetness, I even added a couple extra when I made this and it was delicious. My husband also doesn’t like tomatoes, what is up with that?! Thanks for the great recipe. November 11, 2014 at 2:03amReply

Steph: Hi do you cook the tortellini first or just throw it in uncooked? I had Everything in the crock pot tonight and realized I didn’t have basil! So I used a few extra bay leaves and oregano..hope it turns out ok! November 24, 2014 at 6:48pmReply

Jaclyn: Just add it uncooked. I hope you love it! November 24, 2014 at 10:47pmReply

Teresa: after you add the cream, does it need to sit awhile before serving? Making this tomorrow and just want to be sure..looks delicious.. December 7, 2014 at 3:39pmReply

Jaclyn: It doesn’t really need to sit after adding the cream. I hope you love it! December 8, 2014 at 4:43pmReply

Christine Keough: made this soup to bring to a soup pot luck at church. Everybody loved it and was the only pot completly empty. It was delicious!!! December 20, 2014 at 4:30pmReply

Jaclyn: I’m so happy to hear that Christine! Thanks for leaving a review! December 21, 2014 at 7:10pmReply

Sarah Draper: I have made this soup twice now…followed the recipe to the letter. And it. is. AMAZING. My non-soup-eating husband loves it and asked that I make it a second time. Makes a ton so I share with family and friends. Haven’t tried freezing. Excellent with gourmet grilled cheese. Awesome dish for a night home or gathering. Thanks for sharing! This recipe is officially in my recipe book. :) January 3, 2015 at 6:00pmReply

Jaclyn: I’m so glad it was enjoyed Sarah :)! January 29, 2015 at 9:27pmReply

Allison Thayer: This looks great!! I’d love to use fresh tomatoes, any idea how that’d turn out and how many Roma tomatoes would be equivalent to a can? January 10, 2015 at 10:56amReply

Jaclyn: You could definitely use fresh but I’d peel and seed them first so I’d probably add an extra 1/3 of the weight to make up for that. February 5, 2015 at 6:06pmReply

Maryellen: Would you happen to know what size serving equals the 8 servings you mentioned? January 11, 2015 at 8:18amReply

Maryellen: My husband and I brought it for lunch this week and I’d say based on the size of our Thermos containers it made roughly 16 cups. I actually left the cream out and I LOVED IT, but the hubby thought it could use some spice. Then again he thinks everything should be hot sauce flavored! Thanks for sharing! January 15, 2015 at 9:34pmReply

Sandy: This did look good but the outcome was not the delight I had looked forward to. Too tomatoey in flavor. I tried the fix it w/ more cream and cheese, extra seasoning… I now have enough soup to feed my family of two for months and honey really didn’t like it all that much :(

Jaclyn: I intended it to have a tomato-y flavor because that’s all I know tomato based soups to be. I suppose you could mix in some ground beef or sausage and more herbs though. January 15, 2015 at 9:01pmReply

Jenn: SO GOOD!! My new favorite, thank you so much! January 14, 2015 at 11:48amReply

Pam Humphries: I’m making this as we speak! Do I boil the tortellini before putting it in the crock pot? January 18, 2015 at 4:06pmReply

Jaclyn: No unless you are using frozen then you may want to. February 5, 2015 at 6:46pmReply

Laurzie: I made this tonight after being tempted by it on my Pinterest for too long. It was phenomenal! I didn’t veer from the recipe other than adding a sprinkle of parsley and oregano. Let’s be honest, those dried herbs didn’t do much to this recipe. It was delicious with or without. Thanks for the new family favorite! January 20, 2015 at 7:12pmReply

Cindy: All I have are canned diced tomatoes, do you think those will work? I’m worried about the tomato skins. Thanks! September 2, 2015 at 1:37pmReply

Jaclyn: Yes those should be fine too. I hope you love this soup! September 3, 2015 at 5:16pmReply

Angela: I made this for my teenage son and his friends and they went crazy over it! My son said to write down the recipe and put it somewhere safe so it never gets lost. The only change we made was to use spinach tortellini because that’s all that was available, but either way it would be delicious. Thanks for sharing! September 14, 2015 at 5:25pmReply

Susan: Can you substitute coconut milk or coconut cream for the heavy cream? I don’t do dairy, but this recipe looks great! September 21, 2015 at 1:32pmReply

Mindy: I’ve made this twice, and the fam LOVES it. This will be a staple this winter. October 4, 2015 at 1:59pmReply

Bekah: Just made this. Super excited to eat it! I used coconut milk instead of heavy cream and just didn’t use the sugar because of the sweetness of coconut milk. Fingers crossed but it smells incredible October 10, 2015 at 3:45pmReply

Joanne: What kind of heavy cream and % is required for this recipe? My family is looking forward to having this recipe this weekend.

Thank you for your response and time. November 10, 2015 at 4:31pmReply

Jaclyn: Any kind of cream will work except light. So about 30% fat and up. November 10, 2015 at 5:22pmReply

Peprich: Just made this tonight. Used crushed tomatoes since that’s what I had. We really enjoyed it. My son said the only thing he would change is how hot it was. :-) Will make it again for my other kids when they are home at Christmas. Thanks for posting. December 2, 2015 at 5:24pmReply

MIMommy: I just wanted to say that I found a pin for “30+ Soups” on Pinterest. I have so far, made about 5 of these soups and each one has been delicious! Thanks for the great compilation of delicious recipes! December 6, 2015 at 3:18pmReply

Krystle: I am making this for dinner tonight and I had a question?.. When it comes to the blending part of it do you do that at the end when it it all done or before you put it in the crockpot? Also, do you blend the carrots up to or just the tomatoes? January 1, 2016 at 7:24amReply

Christina: Do you include the juices with the tomatoes, or just take the tomatoes out? January 13, 2016 at 2:21pmReply

Diane: I had a problem when I made this soup. I made it planning on having it for leftovers for lunches. My family of 6 ate all of it that night! My ten yr old son had three bowls! My family is asking me to make it again this weekend! January 23, 2016 at 4:36pmReply

Angie R: My boyfriend and I just made this and it was DELICIOUS! We paired it with pesto/roasted red pepper/spinach/goat cheese grilled cheese sandwiches and is easily the best meal I’ve ever made. YUM.

The only thing we did differntly was add add a little sriracha to top off the basil and cheese in the soup bowls because it felt like it needed a little kick. Next time I might try adding spices like corriander or cayenne pepper.

irina: Hi! =) What is a quart? (in sweden we use liters, but if you could hint me further. 7 quart what? ) January 25, 2016 at 7:51amReply

Douglas Smith: A quart is 0.946 liters. So, if a cooking vessel holds 7 liters, it will hold 7 quarts easily. December 20, 2017 at 12:46pmReply

Kathy: Delicious! This made so much deliciousness.
I plan to make this for our next office potluck – it will be so easy to bring the ingredients and assemble in the morning and let it cook till lunch. February 6, 2016 at 8:11amReply

Jennifer: I was wondering if crushed tomatoes can be substituted for the whole tomatoes for those of us who don’t have an immersion blender. February 29, 2016 at 11:29pmReply

Melissa: Can you use dried tortellini in the bag? Any changes if so? March 1, 2016 at 4:53pmReply

Jaclyn: I haven’t tested it but I imagine you could, I’m guessing it would need a longer cooking time and a little more broth or water in the soup. March 1, 2016 at 6:19pmReply

Michelle: Is that 3x28oz cans of tomato or 3 cans for 28oz total March 9, 2016 at 4:53amReply

Brooke: I accidentally added the cream before hand, but I see now I used half and half instead of heavy cream. Can I just add the heavy cream after? Or is it ruined :( March 14, 2016 at 12:43pmReply

Jaclyn: Sorry for this late response, that may curdle a little because of the milk in the half and half. March 16, 2016 at 8:34pmReply

Iris: This soup was seriously amazing! My 7yo who hates everything I cook (sadly I am not exaggerating), absolutely loved this soup! The whole time at the dinner table he was saying things like “this soup should be famous! The best soup ever”. The rest of the family also enjoyed it, including myself =) Thanks for a recipe that is easy and tasty without having to make my own modifications! August 26, 2016 at 4:58pmReply

McKenzie G: I made this for Halloween dinner last night but made several alterations due to convenience:I used 5 Tbsp of dried basil (RIP, basil plants), used a dutch oven on the stove (cook time left the same, but stirred a few times), then used an immersion blender for some stubborn tomatoes. Great recipe, great flavors, definitely making this again! Thank you! November 1, 2016 at 5:52amReply

Jaclyn: Glad it worked – Thanks for leaving a comment McKenzie! November 1, 2016 at 2:14pmReply

katie: This recipe has become a family favorite! Thanks for posting. We prefer the soup a little chunkier & I just use crushed tomatoes & skip the blender step. My kids eat it up. I love the flavor, and the convenience. Definitely a soup we’ll make again & again. November 21, 2016 at 7:23pmReply

shelly: I just made this yesterday – WE LOVED IT!
Even though its a comfort food more likely for Fall weather – it was really good in the middle of summer :).
super easy to make and hearty and healthy!
will be making this again!
thank you! July 24, 2017 at 12:33pmReply

Jaclyn: I’m so glad you loved it Shelley! July 26, 2017 at 1:50pmReply

Amanda: I accidently added the cream before within the original mixture instead of at the very end. Is this okay or is it ruined?:( November 21, 2017 at 10:19pmReply

Jaclyn: It will probably just depend on how hot it get’s it may curdle up just a little but would still be edible. November 23, 2017 at 12:44amReply

Jane: My husband doesn’t like stewed tomatoes and I usually substitute tomato sauce, will this still work and not alter the flavor too much? December 6, 2017 at 1:50pmReply

Rod Ster: I tasted as I went along, and when I got to the stage before I added the tortellini – I thought: “OK. this is a nice, hearty tomato soup. Tastes fine.” Once the tortellini was done, I added the heavy cream and it was transformative! So delicious. Some grated parmesan and fresh basil to finish and served with a warmed Rosemary bread and wine. The perfect winter supper. Loved it! January 7, 2018 at 7:49pmReply

Lilia: I’m super excited to try this. I actually just got the ingredients. It’s only my boyfriend and I so I halved the recipe. Will that change how long I have to cook it for? Or should I still cook low for 6 hours? Thanks! January 18, 2018 at 12:10pmReply

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